Morgan Iwerson

Name: Morgan Iwersen

Occupation: Owner/CEO, Canyon Cultivation

When and how did you become an advocate for cannabis?

I have been an advocate for cannabis for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Boulder, the product of ’60s parents, who both utilized cannabis for medical purposes, and understood its medical value. It wasn’t just about getting “high”; it was about using an herbal remedy that helped you when you didn’t feel good. When I started to hear rumblings that Colorado was going to legalize cannabis, my parents and I decided that we wanted to own a cannabis company to help people so we founded Canyon Cultivation in 2010. The business took off from there. First, we were a medical marijuana business. We were advocates for our customers who were really sick and used cannabis to treat their ailments. Cannabis changed their world. Joining the Cannabis Business Alliance (CBA) was another part of my advocacy. I met other business leaders in the industry, and that’s why we decided to expand into the adult-use/recreational market. I am an advocate, I’m a working mother and a business owner. The cannabis industry is the wave of the future.

How has cannabis benefited your life?

I suffer from migraines and use cannabis to treat the symptoms. It has benefited my friends who have migraines. I have had two friends who have had Stage 4 cancer and it has changed their lives and helped them immensely. They were able to cope with chemotherapy in a much different way. Cannabis helped them to have an appetite, helped them not to be sick, helped their last moments of their lives be more comfortable. The response from our patients has been unbelievable. We get emails from customers about how we have really changed their lives, how our products have helped them cope with everything from PTSD to epilepsy.

What’s your greatest achievement for the cannabis cause?

My greatest achievement is having high quality, natural, consistent cannabis products that have helped people have a better way of life. I’m also proud of the work that I have done with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to help educate them to understand the positive benefits of cannabis, and alieve their concerns, and help educate the general public that cannabis is not bad. I had a mom come up to me today from my kid’s school, and her husband has Multiple Sclerosis, and wanted to talk more. This is not a terrible drug. It doesn’t deserve to be listed as a Schedule I drug. I help to inform the Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED), set the future of cannabis, and alter big pharma. My greatest achievement is that I am a pioneer in the cannabis world. I am at the forefront of a change in the entire way of thinking about how we can help ourselves in fighting conditions such as cancer and epilepsy through cannabis.How did that manifest?

I am a pioneer because I saw the potential of how cannabis could change the world, and help us move away from our dependency on Big Pharma, and I wanted to be a part of that movement. I was sitting in a cubicle in Corporate America. I had a conversation with my family that legalization was coming to Colorado, and we took a leap of faith. I left my corporate job. I wanted to help people address addition to pharmaceuticals. I wanted to be a part of the cannabis revolution. We started with nothing, and a shoestring budget. We started with two products, and we went for it.

Who do you look up to or admire?

I look up to and admire the women running the businesses in the industry. Canyon Cultivation’s Compliance Officer Sue Harank; All of my colleagues at Cannabis Business Alliance, including Bob Eschino (owner), Incredibles owner Julie Berliner, Sweet Grass Kitchen owner Julie Dooley and Julie’s Baked Goods.

If you could change one thing about the way cannabis is viewed and/or treated right now, what would it be?

I would change the fact that cannabis is a Schedule I narcotic. We all need to be educated that it is not going to kill you. It’s not going to kill your children. It needs to be respected and regulated. It has a lot of potential to change people’s lives. CBA wants to educate the general public that cannabis is a really great form of medicine that can address ailments. People shouldn’t be afraid, and they are afraid because it’s a Schedule I drug.